But in a league of titans, who are the gods? Between LeBron James playing with the energy of a player 10 years his junior, Kevin Durant dunking over towering centers, or Steph Curry racing down the court on a fast break, the league continues to feature the ultimate displays of athleticism in sports.

James is built more like an NFL player than a basketball star. Even as he heads into his 30s, his goliath-like physique—and sheer willpower—keeps him a towering figure in the NBA.

Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors

The former Oklahoma City Thunder star has established himself as one of the best offensive players in the league, shooting and driving his way to four scoring titles while in OKC. Durant took his talents to the Golden State Warriors to join forces with Steph Curry and Draymond Green just two seasons after winning the MVP award, giving the “super team” one of the most All-Star heavy lineups in league history.

The 6’11, 240-pound attacker can shoot from anywhere on the court, but he can throw down dunks with the best of them too. Surprisingly strong and solid for such a willowy-looking guy, Durant is one of the best pure-scoring players in the league and he gives the Warriors a major offensive threat as they try and repeat after losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals and then winning over the Cavs in 2017.

Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves

Talk about making an impact right away.

After his rookie season, with just one season in the league under his belt, the former first overall pick from the 2015 NBA Draft has made quite the impression on the league. In a survey of all 30 general managers before the 2016-17 season, when asked if they could have ONE player to start a franchise with, nearly half said that they would start with Towns—not LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, or Russell Westbrook—but with the former Kentucky Wildcats star.

The reason? Towns is is built like a basketball player you’d create in a lab—his 7’0", 244-pound frame gives him the athleticism of a guard in the body of a center, giving him the ability to block shots, drive to the hoop, shoot from the outside, and lock down players on interior defense. Towns averaged 18.1 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in his rookie year—the best season for a first-year big since future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan—before going on to win the rookie of the year award in a unanimous vote.

"He's going to be a Hall of Famer in this league," former Oklahoma City star Kevin Durant said about Towns.

He’s surely on his way.

Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

When it comes to the most absurdly athletic point guards in the NBA, it’s hard to top Russell Westbrook.

Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors

Curry’s meteoric rise since leading the Warriors to their first championship in over three decades in 2015 has been fueled by his slick shooting and top-notch agility driving to the hoop. He's hardly a dominant presence—at 6’3” and 190 lbs., he's smaller than high school players—but that stature has produced in Curry the league's most devastating first step, and lateral agility that routinely puts the league's best defenders on roller skates.

DeMarcus Cousins, New Orleans Pelicans

At 6′11″, 269 pounds, the All-Star center has a hulking physique that gives him the combination of size and athleticism to dominate any big man in the league. During his offseason training, Cousins uses boxing, weight training, abdominal work, swimming, and treadmill drills to get his body powerful and agile—no surprise he’s one of the best blockers in the NBA, swatting away shots with ease. Cousins has increased his scoring average in each of the first six years he’s been in the league, and during the 2016 Rio Olympics he helped the United States win a gold medal.

At 6’10”, 251 pounds, the Oklahoma native is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses—he has the strength to power through the lane, but can step out to make a mid-range jumper too. The Clippers star uses cardio workouts, core exercises, split squats, leg lifts, and Olympics lifts to get his body in shape to dominate the court.

Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

Kyrie Irving, Boston Celtics

The current Boston Celtics point guard and former number-one overall pick is one of the best ball handlers in the league. Irving can dribble his way around anyone with his speed, and he can change direction at the drop of a dime. In his training, the Celtics star uses explosive box jumps, leg lifts, and cardio work to keep his agility up. All that focused explosive work allows him to pull off moves like this crossover on Glen Rice, in which he left the defender in the dust on his way to the hoop.

Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images

Jimmy Butler, Minnesota Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves star is a hustler on both ends of the court—Butler has the agility and speed to be a lockdown defender, but he busts it as an offensive threat too. At 6’7”, 231 pounds, Butler has the power to dribble through bigger forwards and he has the athleticism to match up with players like LeBron James on the block. Butler uses the offseason to get his body in shape—over the summer all he does is “eat, sleep, and go to the gym” with his training partners—doing weight training, full-court scrimmages, box jumps, as well as yoga and Pilates to stay strong and flexible.

Butler won the most improved player award after the 2014-15 season, which led to him signing a five-year max extension with the Bulls the following summer. Now he's with the Wolves.

Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks

Most New York Knicks fans couldn’t pronounce the name Kristaps Porzingis on draft night in 2015—and more than a few complained about it—but now the Latvian big man is considered to be the savior of the franchise. The Knicks loved the combination of size and pure, natural athleticism from the 7’3”, 240-pound prospect—he can block, rebound, and shoot threes from anywhere on the court. Porzingis is truly a baller—he’s been playing professionally since he was a teen—and even the notoriously harsh spotlight of the New York City sports world, he’s earned some love from Knicks fans and given them some major hope for the future.

Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors

The former Michigan State Spartans star has been just as important during the rise of the Golden State Warriors as league MVP Steph Curry. Green’s established himself as one of the most dominant defensive players in the NBA, using his 6′7”, 230-pound frame to block shots—including LeBron's—and defend players at every position on the court. The center/forward trains for speed and power, using lower-body workouts, chest rows, weighted pullups, pushups, and the stationary bike to keep himself in top shape.

Kenneth Faried, Denver Nuggets

Faried’s tenacious, physical style of play earned him the nickname “Manimal” from his teammates—the Denver Nuggets forward has a strong upper body that allows him to rip rebounds away from defenders in the lane. At 6’8”, 228 pounds, Faried has the athleticism and agility to make plays on both ends of the floor. He does that through an intense training regimen, which his trainer detailed for Men’s Fitness.

Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs

Boy, the Indiana Pacers would love to have the George Hill trade back.

The San Antonio Spurs snagged Leonard in a trade during the 2011 NBA Draft and all he’s done in his career is become one of the best defenders in the league, a reliable scorer, and a perennial MVP candidate.

Leonard won the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award in 2014 when the Spurs won the championship over the Miami Heat, and while he isn’t the most talkative player, he lets his play speak for itself.

Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images

Paul George, OKC Thunder

The former franchise player for the Pacers is an all-in-one superstar.

George can score and play All-star level defense—and he has the basketball IQ to be the center of the offense. After coming back from what looked like a career-ending injury the summer of 2014, George has played at an All-Star level, setting career highs in scoring average, steals, and assists per game during the 2015-16 season. George’s athletic ability allows him to create open shots anywhere on the floor, and he uses his 6’9”, 220-pound body to bang it inside when he needs to drive to the hoop.

Davis led the NBA in blocks in back-to-back seasons from 2014-15. He’s been a prolific scorer too: Davis became the 20th player in NBA history to score at least 59 points in a game. In his debut for the 2016-17 season, the Pelicans star had a ridiculous stat line of 50 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists, 7 steals, and 4 blocks. Davis won a gold medal with Team USA in the Olympics before playing in his first NBA game and is considered to be one of the league's undeniable superstars.

Hassan Whiteside, Miami Heat

Whiteside went from the D-League with the Sacramento Kings to a max deal with the Miami Heat by learning to use his 7’0”, 265-pound body to become a dominating rim protector. It’s hard to find another player in the league with Whiteside’s size and athletic ability—he’s a big man that can do it all. Whiteside scores from anywhere in the paint, passes with perceptive skill, and creates a one-man Bermuda Triangle against opposing shooters, like on this one-handed block against the Hornets. Whiteside led the league in blocks during the 2015-16 season, and now he’s a perennial Defensive Player of the Year contender.

James Harden, Houston Rockets

James Harden has always been divisive—but he's always been a playmaker, too. Throughout his NBA career, Harden has been able to transform himself into whatever his team needed at any moment.

When he was in Oklahoma City, he played a key role as the first man off the bench for some successful teams alongside Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. When he went to Houston he became a pure scorer—giving up some of his, ahem, defensive skills in the process—but flashing some major ability as an offensive threat. Harden remains in Houston, but the 6’5”, 220-pound Arizona State product has transformed himself again—this time into a point guard.

Steven Adams, Oklahoma City Thunder

The 7’0”, 255-pound Kiwi has made New Zealanders proud with his gritty, physical style of play for the Oklahoma City Thunder. The long-haired center is a menace for other players driving to the hoop, blocking shots and grabbing rebounds with ease while being the enforcer for guard Russell Westbrook. Adams uses his past experience playing rugby to his full advantage, dishing out bone-crushing picks and being unafraid to get into a scrum with anyone on the court. (Athleticism runs in the family, too: His sister Valerie won two consecutive Olympic gold medals in the shot put.) But if Adams has a singular skill as a player, it's that he knows how to push the right buttons and get on his opponents' nerves, including DeMarcus Cousins and Raymond Felton.